Britain clamps down on fringe and profit share theatre.

In essence the article makes two critical points. 1 Fringe theatres should comply with NMW requirements or redefine themselves as 'amateur'. 2 Fringe theatres claim that (a) they can't afford to comply, and that they would have to fold if forced to, and (b)losing 'professional status' would rob them of the cachet that makes them a good vehicle for newcomer exposure. My reaction to the article was a result of my innate distrust and distate for government intervention in the lives of its citizens. For example, and to be quite clear, I do not support policies such as a National Minimum Wage (for acting or any other occupation). I have an intense antipathy to the pervasive language of unions, which promotes the idea that employers are avaricious, unscrupulous and deceitful exploiters of the industrious, honest workers. More importantly, I deplore the language of dependence and implied helplessness: that workers lack acumen, lack the strength to argue their own case, lack the ability to make their own decisions, that they are unable to act intelligently and rationaly on their own behalf, that they will suffer unless they have the guardian angel of a union to do this for them. I expect that my views will be the minority here, and will attract criticism. So be it.